Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-02-10
An Unparalleled Lynching.
GAINESVILLE Regisier.l

lOarherflne hegisier.l
Saturday night a notice was left a
the Jail, stating that Sanders would bt
| ilynched on the following night, and
that Mr. Ivie and his family, who live
in the Jail, need feel no alarm, that nc
: harm was intended to any one but
Sanders. About nine o'clock Sunday
night little squads of men we're seer
collecting on the square, and at half.
past ten large body of mounted men
rode into town. They halted with the
head of the column near Tabor's store,
and sat for some time silent and
motlonless as an army of specters.-
The purpose for which they halted
whatever it may have been, having
been accomplished, they moved off in
the direction of the Jail. Only por-
ton of the crowd entered the jail
yard, a large number, probably the
majority, remaining with the horses
They were met at the Jail door by
Sheriff Mcconnell, who demonstrated
with them without avail. Sanders
was tied, brought out of the jail, taken
up behind one of the men, and the
party moved off. At the forks of the
road, a mile and quarter northeast
of GAINESVILLE, the party halted and
built large fire, and decided the fate
of their prisoner. They acted through
committee.
An opportunity was given Sanders
to make statement which was as
follows:
killed Swilling because he choked
me two weeks ago. Rachel Kimball
had nothing to do with the killing,
but we had talked about it and she
knew of it. We had no row that
night. l went to bed about eight
o'clock, slept awhile, got up and went
out and got the ak, walked to The bed
where John was asleep. He was living
on his right side, and I struck him
with the edge of the ak on the left
side of the head, just above the ear
Mrs. Swilling raised up in the bed
and hallooed, %, Lord, papal I
struck her on the top of the head with
the blade of the ak. They both strug-
gled, but neither spoke after 1 struck
them. turned to the bed where the
little boys were sleeping and struck
them on the head with the blade of
the AK. About that time the baby
cried and / killed it with the ak
handle. l then put oil on the beds,
set them on fire, went into the back
room, laid down, and remained until
the fire smoked me out. | ran out on
the piazza and hallooed the best
could, and ran to Rachel's house and
against the door, I could not leave
the place after the killing was over.
My conscience would not let me 90.
After making this statement he re-
quested some one to pray for him.
Young Mr.. Hunnicut consented to
pray for him, and requested all per-
sons present who were willing to pray
for the prisoner to kneel down. No
one knelt then, but when Mr.. Hunni-
cut and the prisoner knelt, the entire
crowd Joined them. Later on he
again asked some one to pray for him,
when Mr.. Ivie prayed, the crowd
again kneeling with them. The pre-
parations were by this time complete,
the rope was fastened around his neck,
he was placed on mule, which was
led under the tree to which he was to
be hung. He stood on the mules back
while the rope was being fastened
above, and prayed in a broken, dis.
jointed manner. Among the last
things he said was that Rachel Kim
ball had nothing to do with the kill
ing. While he was praying the mule
was led from under him and he died
without struggle. The crowd left
his body hanging, but it was moved
before morning
The company numbered over a
hundred. No one was disguised and
no effort was made at concealment.--
1t was composed of stanch citizens.
There was not the slightest disorder
or excitement. Public sentiment de-
manded the immediate execution of
Sanders.